Jeremiah 30:17;For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,says the Lord. (NKJV)

I look at my desk and see chips in the veneer; and yes, you are right – that tells you it is not solid wood. It fitted my needs, when I bought it.

I do have a remedy for the damage; a small bottle of stain. It came with the purchase. I can readily disguise the small areas of damage, making the desk surface look new again.

Christians can become flawed too, but these misdemeanors (or sins) can be obvious. The Bible has specific instructions on what is proper behavior for God’s people. Repair (or forgiveness) in these instances has to come from God. His mercy and grace can repair any spiritual imperfections.

Just as I return the desktop to its former beauty; God can do the same for us.

Are you a doubting Thomas? Do you only believe what you can actually see with your own eyes?

Holy Week is not about chocolate, bunnies and eggs. It is about the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus – for us all.

He was wholly human and some days was sad, just as we can be. He was real and He suffered rejection, hatred and brutality. He was crucified. Buried. Rose from that death. Many did not believe it was Him. Many, even now, disbelieve the credibility of this historical fact.

Thomas was skeptical of the disciple’s and peoples’ reports, that they had seen Jesus – alive and well.

“Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe”. John 20:25

After eight days His disciples were gathered and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, and stood in their midst, saying “Peace to you”. Then to Thomas He said, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing”. And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and My God”. (John 20:26)

So how about you? Will you only believe when you actually see Him? It’ll be too late to choose Him then, because He will not know you.

Choose Jesus now. He is just waiting for you to decide.

Don’t be a doubting Thomas.

Jesus come in to my heart and soul. I need You. Forgive my unbelief and help me to start again. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

When life deals you one crisis after another, it can be very easy to succumb to defeat.

Our energy levels diminish and it is all we can do to get up in the morning. Once risen, we stumble through the day not sure how we can stay the course to reach the end of the day.

In between, we accomplish nothing of value thus setting the stage for depression. We feel weary and unworthy of anyone’s time or attention and begin to withdraw into a dark place. It is a place where joy has died and anxiety rules. It is a destructive, selfish place where pity-parties gain control, bringing our lives to a full stop.

When this happens, we need to reach out to others – not withdraw.
We need to be thankful for all that we have – not keep wanting more. We need to help others and we do this, our own needs and expectations take a back seat as willing service for or to someone else, begins to grow joy in our own lives.

Life storms come and go. Some of us will flounder while others overcome the battering of the emotional and spiritual waves. Taking control of our thoughts and actions can and will take us to a better place, once we rely on God’s guidance. He will always steer us in the right direction and place our feet on solid ground.

Matthew 8:25-27 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

If wind and wave can obey Jesus, why can’t we? Why is it so hard for us to trust God, choosing instead to live life our own way?

Storms will come and go, but once we allow God to control our lives we can always find a safe haven. We can always find peace.

Prayer: Abba, we tend to want to control everything in our lives. We complain about the crisis points of our lives, never thinking to come to You and hand over our stuff. Please help us to be willing to hand it all to You as we strive for a better way to live. Amen

Once we do this – can we find quiet in our storms? I know we can, but we have to be willing to let go – then let God guide us in all our ways.

Sitting quietly in prayer, I ask – ‘Lord, help me to be the best that I can be for You today’.

I then busy myself, checking email messages. As I do this a box pops up on the screen. “What is this?” I wonder. “I didn’t hit any keys”, but as I look I realize it says, ‘Request Wisdom to Know’. “Excuse me”? “What is that?”

Curious, I open the box and then see that it was an old message; one where I had sent a request for a particular book, in order to write a review.

Silly me! Sometimes, attention can be captured unexpectedly and at very opportune moments. In this instance, I felt it could very well have been God letting me know, He had received my prayer and He responded in a way that certainly got my attention.

A God moment! I love when that happens. There is no explanation as to why this message suddenly appeared – I only know that the wording hit home in a profoundly reassuring way.

I have taken this message from The Daily Bread. It is an excellent message, written by John Stuart. Thank you, John, for your uplifting visionary words.

Luke 13:18-19 – Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.” (NIV)

I find it amazing to think that Christianity is actually the world’s largest faith. About one-third of our planet’s population is connected to Christ, and each year, that number is growing all over the earth. Beginning on a hillside in Galilee two thousand years ago with just a couple of hundred followers, Christ’s ministry has expanded and increased throughout the centuries. In every nation on this planet, there is a Christian community. The gospel has been preached in every corner on earth. The mustard seed of God’s kingdom, which was planted so long ago, now has people of every nation living in its branches. There are currently more Christians on earth than at any other time in humankind’s history. Christ’s life, work, and ministry continue to grow. It is a faith that cannot be stopped; it is a teaching that cannot be curtailed.

Churches are springing up everywhere. Old buildings may be closing, but new fellowships of faith are being planted. Christ’s mission never stops, and despite what western media or anti-religious groups express about the decline of Christianity, the numbers across the world prove them to be false prophets. Western Christianity is being transformed, and a rebirth of faith is being experienced. The church changes as each century comes and goes, but one thing remains constant: Christ’s people are growing numerically and spiritually across this planet in every generation.

Sometimes, we western Christians get downhearted about declining congregational numbers and moral standards of society. We get hung up on finances and money instead of being inspired by faith and mission. All that we are negatively experiencing are the birth pangs of a new twenty-first-century church. Christ will not let His people down; Christ will not let His mission die.

So let’s rejoice, because throughout the earth, more people will be brought closer to Christ today and give their hearts to His kingdom.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, Your work on earth continues each day, and new souls are saved for Your kingdom. Thank You for allowing us to be a part of Your great commission. Help us to reach out to other people in charitable and cheerful ways, so that they may also be drawn closer to You. In Your holy name, we pray. Amen.

At our church yesterday, ten people dedicated their lives to God, by being baptized.

A public proclamation that God is now the controller of their lives. They no longer want ‘to do’ life their own way, nor do they want to conform to the ways of the world.

It was a public announcement that they have chosen to be like Jesus, and want to change their ways – – or at least – – have decided to follow a different path in life. It doesn’t make life all rosy, but it does give each one an inner strength and peace that unbelievers cannot understand or experience.

Trusting the One and Only unseen God truly does make a difference to your life, but unless you are willing to change and trust His way – nothing I say will convince you to live any other way. You will choose to stay where you are – – suffering all that you are dealing with, feeling all alone.

Psalm 121:1-3 you will find the God of help for those who seek Him….I will lift up my eyes to the hills – from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. (NKJV)

It’s a cold, cold day, here today. Snow squalls are continually driving a path through the area, and brutally cold temperatures are the order of the day. Unforgiving weather, is what I call it. Exposure to these elements for too, long, would mean you would be dealing with frostbite, as well as certain death, if exposed for too long.

The world is filled with deadly conditions too. Abortion. Rape. Abuse. Deception. Theft. Prostitution. Human trafficking. Child labor. The list can almost be endless.

Billy Graham, aged 93, and still a man of God, with Godly values, prays for our human frailties and I print his prayer here, for all who would like to pray it for themselves and our earthly world and governments.

Billy Graham’s Prayer

THIS MAN SURE HAS A GOOD VIEW OF WHAT’S HAPPENING NOT ONLY TO THE U.S. BUT ALSO TO OUR WORLD!

‘Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, ‘Woe to those who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable… We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from sin and Set us free. Amen!’

The world can be a cold and hostile place. It is not for the faint of heart and yet, here we are living our lives in the best way we can and, at this time of year, sharing our love and gifts without exemption.

How wonderful the world would be if each day were this way. We get up, get showered (bathed), dressed and fed, hoping that our day will be a good one. There is no guarantee and yet, as Christians we do have the assurance of an inner strength that is unavailable without reaching out to our God, who loves unconditionally.

The Bible is God’s words……..and it gives us clear direction and support……..it is a blueprint for living the right way. Of course, God is invisible – but He is not absent, because He gives us His spirit once we trust Him with our lives.

Colossians 2:5 For though I am absent in the flesh (you cannot see Me), yet I am with you in spirit (in your heart), rejoicing to see your good order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. (NKJV)

These words give me strength and comfort at all times; I agree, it is hard to trust in the wisdom of a person unseen, and yet I believe the contents of the Bible. The advice contained within its pages reassure me at all times, because the words are wise and mean me no harm. They set me upon solid ground in thought, word and deed – and I like that.

May my God of all that is good and kind and loving, bless your celebrations of Christ’s birthday and beyond.

Like this:

Looking from my window, the weather outside belies the fact it is almost winter. The grass is still green and a friend told me yesterday, she was planning on cutting the grass one last time, before the snow comes.

I am not a snow lover. I admit it does look beautiful and does cast a sense of serenity as sounds are absorbed, but that is where its beauty ends for me. It is so often the cause of accidents, with falls and vehicular crashes as the temperature plummets and the landscape becomes icy. Therefore, I can honestly say (sorry snow lovers) it does not provide a warm welcome for me.

On the other hand, God does. In the times when life seems cold and brutal, a quiet prayer or a delve into the Bible provides solace and serenity of a spiritual kind.

God awaits our invitation to come into our hearts and our lives, just as Jesus Christ, whose birthday Christians honour at this time of year anticipates providing us a warm welcome, as we call out to Him and trust Him with our lives. Whether we desire tangible help or want a confidant to share our deepest needs, He is ready and waiting to eradicate the brutal cold of our lives and replace it with His great and gracious love. He waits for our submission that we can no longer ‘do life’ on our own, and He does it with open arms.

Matthew 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (NKJV)

There is more to life than struggle. The emptiness within you is waiting to be filled with Jesus’ spirit – but only you can invite Him into your life.

Prayer: Jesus I cannot continue the way I am living. Everything is so hard and I need rest. I need a breakthrough and some relief and I don’t know how to do that. Please help me and take control of all that I do, say and think. In Jesus name, Amen.

If you are struggling with life or are in a situation that you are unable to control; may I suggest you open a Bible? If you do not own one, a visit to your local library will fill that need.

Not only can you find guidelines on how to live a good life, but you can also find encouragement and wisdom, to help you make better decisions.

For instance, in Philippians 3:18-20

Many people live like enemies of the cross of Christ. I have often told you about them, and it makes me cry to tell you about them now. The way they live is leading them to destruction. Instead of serving God, they do whatever their bodies want. They do shameful things, and they are proud of it. They think only about earthly things. But our homeland is in heaven, and we are waiting for our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to come from heaven. (International Children’s Version)

There is a better way to live than disrespecting yourself, your body or other people. God, who is a God of pure love explains in the following passages –

Take a look at 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a where it tells us what true love is like. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not become angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. Love is not happy with evil, but is happy with the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes and always continues strong. Love never ends. (ICV)

So if you are not treating yourself this way, or somebody you know is not treating you this way; moreso, if you are not acting this way towards the people who love you – perhaps you need to reconsider your lifestyle!